How to Get a Sponge in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Get wet sponges from ocean monuments: kill elder guardians yourself, or search for optional sponge rooms with about 30 wet sponges each. Dry them in a furnace or place them in the Nether.

What you need

Ocean explorer map
A hoe (fastest sponge tool)
Furnace or Nether access for drying

Step by step

Find an ocean monument: they sit in deep ocean biomes and are the only place sponges are found.
Kill the elder guardians yourself: a monument has three (one at the top and one in each wing), and each player kill gives 1 wet sponge.
Look for sponge rooms: some monuments have none, while others have one or more. Each contains about 30 wet sponges.
Mine sponges by hand or with any tool: a hoe is the quickest.
Dry a wet sponge in a furnace with any fuel. If a bucket is in the fuel slot when it finishes, the water drains into the bucket.
Or place a wet sponge in the Nether: it dries instantly with a puff of steam.
Use a dry sponge: it instantly absorbs flowing and source water up to 6 blocks away (taxicab distance) in all six directions, then turns into a wet sponge.

Java vs Bedrock

Player kills give wet sponges in both editions; tamed wolf kills also qualify in Java, but not in Bedrock. In Bedrock, wet sponges placed in a dry Overworld biome dry after a few minutes. A furnace or placement in the Nether works in both editions.

Versions: Describes the current Java and Bedrock releases. See the edition note above for differences.

Frequently asked questions

Where do sponges come from?

Only ocean monuments: elder guardians and sponge rooms.

How do I dry a wet sponge?

Smelt it in a furnace, or place it in the Nether. In Bedrock a dry biome also works after a few minutes.

How far does a sponge absorb water?

Up to 6 blocks away by taxicab distance, in all six directions.

What tool mines a sponge fastest?

A hoe. Any tool or your hand also works.